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Sunday, June 24, 2018

Halfway of the year now, I'm trying to recall anything significant and meaningful when 2018 started. Unlike last year, the first months were relatively lighter in terms of my day job. What ended to be challenging was the freelance works. If I'm not mistaken, this year gave me the most opportunities. I'm more than thankful because it meant additional income, unexpected learning and a great way to break the monotony of my day job.

I didn't make any out-of-town trips, but the hotel staycation somehow compensated. I was able to catch a few good movies and missed a few I have been awaiting. I haven't seen the last sequel of Pitch Perfect. I got hooked with K dramas like Birth of a Beauty and My Golden Life. Once in a while, I get to see some of good old friends. I have friends I only see once a year. But I have those who make all means to accommodate random meet ups. There were also those who make their presence felt, albeit online. My constant learning over friendships, it has always been presence over presents. And quoting some lyrics from a nice song, those who can let the distance keep our friendships together.

It's been a month since I made a journal entry. I don't know if I'm losing the interest. These days, my spare time has always been spent sleeping, reading or watching some K drama. Last year, journaling made me discover a community of fellow grown ups, who still love stickers, washi tapes, stationery and all the beautiful paper stuff.

Monday, June 18, 2018

It was one of those random trips at the bookstore when I first encountered Star Girl. Truth to be told, I only got attracted with minimalistic yet intriguing cover. Despite the interesting story, I wasn't keen on buying the book. Save for the few good reviews I read, I remembered it when I saw the last copy from National Bookstore's first Book Binge Bazaar. I got it for almost half of its retail price.

Sunday, June 17, 2018

I'm typing this post after a sumptuous father's day dinner with my family. We opted for Filipino-Chinese food and had it delivered in the comforts of our home. I will never get tired of weekends like this. My family is not the hardest to please, even a bag of popcorn and ice cold Coke will do.

The past week was probably the longest unexpected break I had this year. It all started with the two national holidays and the series of class suspensions. I spent the rest of the week working at home. The colder weather has been conducive both for working and sleeping. But as always, sleeping is the easier option. Situations like this make me always dream of working at home. For some reason, I feel more productive and get my working pace on the wee hours of the morning. Maybe because no one distracts me at 1 am, except for a hungry stomach. It's also easier to resist food temptations because food deliveries are not available. (and please don't give an idea where to get food from midnight till dawn)

Other than the colder weather, I can't seem to remember anything significant last week. Save for a few accomplishments, a freelance work and a major report from my day job. I was able to watch Ocean's 8 with my friend A. I enjoyed the film, even if reviews don't seem to agree. I've always been a fan of Sandra Bullock and Anne Hathaway. I was also entertained with the cameo appearances of Katie Holmes, Serena Williams, Kim Kardashian and Anna Wintour.

Here's more from the past week in photos

And I was able to finish my second book for this year :p - I'm far from my usual target of one book every month. These days, much of my spare time is spent sleeping or checking my social media accounts. Halfway 2018, I only managed to finish two books. :p I really wish I could read more.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

It was another typical work week. Morning rush, crowded trains, consolidating reports, coordinating with offices, lunch break with my friends, catching sunsets while walking to the train station, trying my best to squeeze in some exercise, and checking my social media accounts until I fall asleep. In the middle of everything, the news gave me more than enough surprises. It started when this unreliable female government official committed another disgraceful act. If she was working in our organization, she has already been subjected to some serious disciplinary action. But from the looks of everything, she is keeping her position. The rest of us have no choice but to accept this bitter reality Our hard earned taxes will always be used to support some unworthy government officials. Okay, end of my rant. ;)

In other news, the death of Kate Spade and Antony Bourdain has been occupying my mind the past few days. Honestly, I hate it when some people undermine and play victim blaming. I may not have the expertise in Psychology to argue, but I will never have the heart to blame Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain and all those lives taken away by depression. One of the best articles I read about depression and mental illness is this post from Joanna Goddard.

Kate Spade is one of those brands I discovered from blogging. She will always remind me of vibrant colors, bows and polka dots. I will always admire her style, creativity and bravery. She is a game changer, artist and entrepreneur who made things happen.

Sunday, June 3, 2018

And just like that, the summer months are over. Classes are starting again and soon enough, traffic in Manila is expected to worsen. While it has been the same cycle every year, I guess the little surprises along the way make the difference. Visiting a new place, reconnecting with some good old friends, discovering something may it be in work or life in general and always realizing that I'm getting older and older. In millenial lingo, adulting is hard. ;)

I took a day off from work last week. It was a good decision because I was able to rest well and spent quality time with my family. A good TV show, unhealthy food delivery (pizza, chicken wings and Coke) and the chance to visit the National Museum of Natural History. I may not have out-of-town trips this year, but I appreciate discovering new places even within the city.

Saturday, June 2, 2018

Friday, June 1, 2018

A few days ago, I received an invite from the Corporate Communications team of the Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost / Post Office). As someone who still finds happiness in letter writing, postcards and stamps, the invite means a lot to me. Added to this, I learned that my blog was discovered because of the posts I made for the Philpost. Yay! .

Recently, the Philpost organized an exhibit called Selyong Pamana. The event featured the historical evolution of Philippine issued stamps.

I almost missed this event, even though I visit the Post Office at least once a month. Good thing, I immediately read the last day invite.

Hello!

Thank you for visiting :) My name is Diane and welcome to my home in the blogosphere.

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